Artifact of the Month: Victorian Whimsey

Sparkling and vibrant, these decorative beaded “whimsies” were likely handcrafted by members of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy of the Northeastern United States and Canada sometime between the middle 19th and early 20th centuries.

The art form developed from earlier techniques such as moose hair embroidery on birch bark and a deep affinity for the beauty of beads. Beads of bone, shells, quills, and pottery shards ornamented clothing, were carried in medicine bags, used in rituals, and buried with loved ones. From ancient times, beads lent beauty and spiritual potency to useful objects. 

Stop by to see our whimsies and learn more about this art form.